Thera 1.59: Kosalaviharin
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(59):Kosalaviharin Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =59. Kosalavihārin= His story resembles that of the Añjana-Woodlander, with this difference: after his novice initiate, he lived in the forest by a village in the kingdom of Kosala, near the living of a lay follower. The latter, seeing him camped under a 60 tree, made a little hut and gave it him. There the Thera attained arahantship(enlightenment). Then filled with rapture at his emancipation(nirvana), he uttered this saying(gatha): ---- 59 Saddhāyāhaɱ pabbajito araññe me kuṭikā katā|| Appamatto ca ātāpī sampajāno patissato' ti.|| || ---- 59 Strong in my faith1 I left the world(for monkhood). Now here Within the woods a hut is made for me; And I with zeal and ardour meditate, With watchful wit and clarity of mind. ---- This was his declaration of aññā(supreme attainment), and because he lived so long in Kosala, he became known as the Kosala settler. ---- 1 'When I saw the might of the Exalted One(Buddha) at Vesālī, I thought: "Absolutely able to guide is this doctrine and ordinance; therefore shall I verily through this attainment be set free from old age and death." And because of the faith thus arisen, I went forth(for monkhood)' (Commentary). The last two lines in the stanza are an expansion of four adjectives, the sentence lacking expressed subject and predicate. ---- 1.6-9 59 Commentary on the stanza of =Kosalavihāri Thera= The stanza starting with Saddhāyāhaṃ pabbajito constitutes that of the venerable Thera Kosalavihāri. What is the origin? This one also, they say, at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara, sowed the seed of good deed and did this and that act of merit. The rest but resembles the story of the Thera Añjanavaniya. This, however, is the difference:– It is said that this one became a monk in the said manner and having done his preliminary duties, dwelt in the forest depending on the family of a devotee in a certain village in the kingdom of Kosala: that devotee saw him living at the foot of a tree, had a cottage made and offered (it to the Thera). Living in the cottage, the Thera gained mental concentration (samādhāna) owing to congenial accommodation, indulged himself in the development of spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship but before long. Hence has it been said in the Apadāna:– “Not far from Himavanta, I lived on a leaf-spread. Having exhibited my greed in my meals (ghāsa), I was then also habituated to lying down. Digging up short (lamba) bulbous roots, tubers and tuberoses (takkala), having broungt jujube fruit (kola), the mark- ing nut (bhallātaka) and quince fruit (billa) I had then ready (for meal). Padumuttara, the world-wise, recipient of sacrificial offering, on having come to know my entention, came to my presence. Having approached, the great elephant, the god of gods, the bull among men, I ligted up a tuber and scattered it down into His bowl. Making me happy (tosayanto) then, the great Hero made a meal of (my offering) (paribhuñji). Having finished eating, the omniscient Buddha uttered this stanza. After making your mind pleasantly pious you offered me a tuber; you will not be reborn in any evil existence for a hun- dred thousand aeons. Later (carimaṃ) it happened (vattate) to me; all existences had become well eliminated; I bear my final body in the dispensation of self awakened Buddha. Fiftyfour aeons (kappa) ago from now, I became a world-king of great strength, endowed with seven gens, known as Sumekhaliya. My depravity had been burnt; … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. Having, however, attained Arahantship, he uttered a stanza starting with “Saddhāyāhaṃpabbajito, making his joyous utterance (udāna) with the speed of his arisen zest owing to his experience of the bliss of emancipation. 59. There, Saddhāya is to be construed thus:– On having seen the power of the Blessed One as and when he approached Vesālī, by way of the pious faith (saddhā) which had sprung up, thus:– “This dispensation is certainly conducive towards being led out of saṃsāra (niyyānika); therefore, surely, by means of this proper practice (paṭipatti) I shall become free from old age and death; pabbajito means approached monkhood, gone towards monkhood. Araññe me kuṭikā katā means; by way of being congenial to that monkhood, a cottage had been made for me, living in the forest; having become a forest dweller commensurate with monkhood, I lived all aloof; thus, he pointed out. There-fore, he said: “Appamatto ca ātāpī, sampajāno patissato,” which is to be construed thus:– with the gain of forest-living, by means of bodily seclusion, being devoted to wakefulness there with mindfulness avoiding thoughtlessness, he became appamatto which means diligent, not negligent; ātāpī means the state of well-begun exertion; sampajāno patissato means:– I lived but perpetually having developed spiritual insight (vipassanā) for the all-round fulfillment of mindfulness and circumspection (sampajañña) which constitute the preliminary portion (pubbabhāgiya) and for the attainment of abundant knowledge (paññā) and awareness (sati) with the achievement of Arahantship; thus, is the meaning. In the announcement of his condition of diligence and so on, this became but his making manifest of his attainment of Arahantship (aññā); because of the state of his long stay in the kingdom of Kosala, however, there sprang up his designation Kosalavihārī. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Kosalavihārī is complete. **********oOo********* ----